Harassment and inappropriate behaviour
Harassment and inappropriate behaviour should not be accepted at workplaces in any way or form. The whole work community has a part in stopping and preventing such behaviour. Fair and equitable leadership, transparency of decision-making and professional behaviour at work build the basis for preventing this type of behaviour.
What is harassment and how does it occur?
Harassment is defined as being systematic and continuous negative action of behaviour. Actions such as repeated threats, intimidation, mean or suggestive text messages, belittling or mocking remarks, and continuous unfounded criticism of one’s work or attempts to make the work more difficult are counted as harassment.
Furthermore, questioning one’s reputation or position, isolating someone from the work community and sexual harassment are also counted as harassment.
Harassing behaviour can come from a supervisor, a colleague or even a client.
The harassment may occur as abuse of the right to direct, for example as repeated unfounded criticism of an employee’s work or unjustified adjustment of the type or amount of the employee’s duties. Harassment may also occur as unilateral, unfounded changing of the work terms and conditions agreed, as inappropriate use of the right to direct or as humiliating assignment of tasks.
Sexual harassment refers to unwanted behaviour that is sexual in nature and that violates a person’s mental or physical integrity.
Sexual harassment may comprise several different types of actions and behaviours, such as verbal remarks and gestures, touching or presenting inappropriate materials.
Harassment may have a serious effect on the targeted employee’s health if it continues for a long time. Harassment may cause anxiety, depression and also physical symptoms. This way, it can also lead to increased sick leave. These absences then increase the workload of the rest of the personnel, and the staff turnover causes further challenges and costs.
Read more here:
Harassment in the workplace | Ombudsman for Equality
Occasional inappropriate remarks, differences of opinion or finding someone unpleasant as a person are not counted as harassment, even if they are considered insulting behaviours and deteriorate the mutual relationships. The employer’s way of managing work with appropriate orders, i.e. the decision made by the employer within the scope of their authority, also does not constitute as harassment, even if there are differences of opinion.
Furthermore, professional and even critical feedback from the employer related to the work, taking up disciplinary measures or attempts to process and solve any issues related to work are not considered harassment.
What to do if I become a target of harassment or unfair treatment?
Bring the matter up immediately with the person behaving inappropriately and ask them to stop this behaviour. Remember to explain to them what you think is inappropriate or unfair about their behaviour. If the person harassing you is a supervisor and you find it difficult to speak with them, contact a higher superior.
If the poor behaviour continues, report the harassment you have experienced to a supervisor.
It is especially important to write down how the harassment occurs, how frequent it is and what you have done to stop the behaviour.
If necessary, you can ask the occupational safety and health representative’s or the union representative’s support when taking the matter forward.
In many workplaces, the enterprise resource planning system has a form for reporting unfair treatment or similar, but you can also draft the notification yourself or use the form by the occupational safety and health authorities: Notification to employer about harassment experienced at work (PDF, in Finnish)
The employer and the supervisor – as the employer’s representative – must intervene in harassment and unfair treatment as quickly as possible.